Last Licks
by LadyofSpain
Summary: As Bella gives birth, her heart gives out, and Edward is unable to save her. Jacob, in his insane despair and rage, challenges Edward. This results in upending both their worlds.


Last Licks

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight

A/N: This story is dedicated to my online reviewer who graciously allowed me to write out her idea. I lost her private message ... looked and looked for it. I'm sorry I can't remember her name. If you read this, PM me, so I can give you the credit you deserve. And I hope I did it justice.

* * *

Why couldn't she be reasonable? She was not going to survive giving birth to that monster. I talked 'til my face turned blue, and for what? Miss Stubborn refused to listen, clinging to the unreal hope that she'd live to raise Edward's little bloodsucker.

Every time I looked at her, I wanted to cry. She was skin and bones, her face ashen, her eyes and hair, dull and lifeless. To make matters worse, I had to watch as she slurped down those freakin' red _smoothies_. It was enough to make me wanna puke.

It was disgusting watching her, with her mouth all puckered up, taking pull after pull on the thick, red liquid. Yuck! "Jeez, how can you drink that stuff, Bella?"

She looked up from the straw in her glass. "It's not so bad. Anyway, I'll do anything to help my little nudger."

"Little nudger, huh? It broke two of your ribs yesterday. That thing you're carrying could be a place kicker for the Washington Redskins."

Her eyes narrowed into slits. "If you can't say something nice, then just keep a lid on it, Jake."

"Just being honest. He _is_ breaking you to pieces from the inside out. You can't deny it, honey."

"Jacob Black—I'll have you know that lots of women have broken their ribs while carrying a child."

"Yeah, but how many of them have the little monsters leeching the flesh off their bones, and have to suck down bloody slurpies to keep the kid happy?"

Bella looked like she was ready to slap the sh** outta me.

The tick intervened. "That's enough, Jacob. Why don't you go find something to eat in the kitchen?"

With an eye roll, I said, "I'll wait awhile. My stomach's kinda queasy if you get my drift."

Edward stood there smirking. I was tempted to knock it right off his face. Would've too, if Bella hadn't been in the room.

* * *

For the next week, I witnessed Bella morph into a mere shadow of herself. Then "D" day arrived, meaning "D"—for denial, dying and death.

She'd just gotten up from the couch … such a simple movement. The cup in her hand fell from her grasp, sloshing the gross contents onto the rug, and Bella went down with it. It was surreal as she collapsed like a marionette, her form landing at grotesque angles. Had her spine snapped in two?

I knew this time would come, but still, it struck me with the force of a torpedo. The diabolical spawn was on its way and Bella was in no shape to deliver it safely.

The leech scooped her up as she wailed, "Edward, he's coming."

I followed in a panic, as he carried her up the stairs and lay her on a make-shift delivery table in Carlisle's den. The doctor and most of the others were out hunting. Rosalie and Eddie were left with me and Bella. We were on our own.

The scene that unfolded was gruesome to say the least. Edward literally chewed his way though my sweetheart's abdomen to release that lousy parasite. It was a girl, and coating his hands with grey fluid mixed with blood, she never took a breath. All that for nothing!

Rosalie was screaming at us. "Don't just stand there, Edward. You have medical training—do something!" But the un-human thing was limp and purple, with no heartbeat. He started CPR, but stopped when I shouted, "Let her go—Bella's not breathing."

Rosalie was crying tearlessly, as she grabbed the dead infant from Edward, clutching the child to her breast.

Eddie and I labored over my sweet Bells. With tears raining down my cheeks, I yelled at her for doing this to herself. "C'mon Bella. Don't leave me. You've gotta breathe."

The filthy tick was messing with a stupid syringe. "She'll be okay. I've got venom in here. You just watch. She'll be fine."

She wasn't fine. She was dead. And it was all his fault. He tried to inject the poison into her veins, but they'd all collapsed, and finally in desperation, Eddie tried to jab it straight into her heart. The table moved suddenly under the pressure—the syringe slipped from his fingers, crashing to the floor, and broke into a million shards of glass. The venom was puddled onto the tile, of no use to anyone, alive or dead.

In a last ditch effort to save her, the leech began leaving several bites along her pulse points and her throat, but even I could see it was too damn late. I ran from the room, and down the stairs, tearing out of the crypt and into the yard, crumpling in a heap, overcome with anguish. I howled to the trees and the sky, "Goddammit, Bells. Why did you do this?"

I sobbed until my ribs were aching from the strain, and then decided to fulfill Eddie's request. No one could blame me now for ripping his head from his body. He'd asked me to kill him if Bella didn't make it, and I was more than willing to grant his last wish.

He came back from Volterra, and took her away from me, and now she was gone from this life. She was gone from Charlie, from Renee, from all of us who loved her. Why didn't he leave her alone? Why didn't he leave _us_ alone?

I was bristling with anger, and felt my body starting to shift. He killed her—he killed my Bella, that selfish bastard. My rage fueled the wolf and I leapt through the air, hitting the ground on four paws. I howled a challenge to Edward, and he answered the call in a heartbeat.

Flying out the front door, he faced me as I snarled, baring my teeth. By the look on his face, I realized he was aware that his venom hadn't worked its magic. He was crouched, ready to square up with me. There was no way he would win this match; I was ready for him.

_So, leech ... You made me promise to kill you if Bella died. Well, she's gone, and you're still here. It won't bring her back, but it'll feel like justice is served, and I'm the one to serve it up._

We collided in the front yard, Edward whizzing past me furiously, while my jaws snapped at him, taking off an ear, one hand, a chunk of his cheek. It was almost too easy, as I ripped at his throat, tearing his head away from his torso. He wanted to die, I could sense that, and I nearly envied him.

I padded slowly around my defeated enemy, watching the scattered parts creep along the grass, attempting to rejoin with the rest of his cold, hard remains. I underestimated the time it would take for his body to reassemble, and while I was in mid phase to get the lighter from my cutoffs, he had miraculously resurrected himself. Lunging at me, he sunk his choppers into my shoulder, as soon as I shifted, taking me unaware.

I knew the minute his teeth hit their mark, that I was done for. I began to feel dizzy, and staggered forward. The trees began to blur and my muscles became lead. A few more feet, and I swayed, hitting my side against a pine tree, and finally thudding onto the ground beneath it. I sent out a message to any of the pack that could hear my distress call.

_Sam, if you're out there, come and get me. I'm goin' fast. I've been bitten._

_I hear you, Jacob. I'm coming._

My breathing was becoming more labored, as I tried to get up, slumping down again and again. It was useless, so I crawled along as far as I could, waiting for the pack to find me. Phasing back was unnecessary, as my body was reclaiming itself from my dying wolf.

Sam, Paul, Embry and Quil were at my side, as I took my last few breaths. "I love you guys. Tell Dad I love him too, huh?"

* * *

Everything went black for a few seconds, but then, all at once, I could see perfectly. I felt myself rising into the air, and as I looked down, there were my buddies all surrounding a naked body stretched out on the forest floor. Jeez, was that me?

A tunnel of bright light appeared, and I was irresistibly drawn to it. A hazy form at the other end walked toward me, her arms extended in greeting. It was a woman, with long black hair. She seemed so familiar, and then as she approached a little closer, I realized it was my mother, Sarah.

My heart burst with happiness, as we embraced each other. "Jacob," she said, smiling at me. "I've waited a long time to see you. I've watched as you grew, and now you've become a man. I'm really proud to be called you mother."

"Mom … I."

"I know you must have a lot of questions, but there's one thing on your mind, that can't wait. There's a girl here. She arrived a few minutes before you came, and—"

My mother was interrupted by a voice calling my name, a voice I could identify anywhere.

"Jake," she squealed. "Jake, it's you!"

Mom turned, and gestured for me to run to her. "What are you waiting for? Go, Son. She's anxious to see you."

Was this for real? It was Bella, all pink, and perfect, racing at top speed to reach my outstretched arms. I thought my heart would explode from joy at the sight of her.

"Oh, Jake, you came," she said as the breath rushed out of her. "But what happened? Did Edward …"

"Yeah."

"So, is he dead now too?"

I lowered my head, not wanting to see the sadness in her eyes. "No, he got in his last licks. I don't think he'll be here for another millennium though. I'm sorry if that upsets you."

Looking up into her beautiful chocolate eyes, I didn't notice a tinge of sadness.

"Since I've come here, I've literally seen the light. My choice was wrong, and I hurt the ones I loved the most, especially _my_ Jacob. I love you, Jake. I've always loved you."

I peered around, as we walked toward her new home. "Hey, Bells, are we allowed to kiss here?"

Her hand swept forward, circling in an arc. "No one will object. In fact, this whole place is an atmosphere of love."

"Well c'mere then, girl."

I pulled her to me, pressing my lips to hers. This was definitely heaven.

* * *

Back on the earth, Billy and the pack mourned Jacob's death, and Charlie did the same for his daughter and her best friend. He was finally in on the big secret, but could do nothing about it.

The Cullens moved away quickly, to avoid the repercussions that were sure to occur. And Edward? He traveled to Italy in a second attempt, begging Aro to take his undead life, but to no avail. He was doomed to grieve over the loss of his Bella and the loss of his only child for the rest of his lonely, eternal existence.

**The End**

**For those of you who are interested, my first published novel is available at Amazon. The title is The Lost Years by (my real name), Star Merrill. Just look for the helicopter on the cover. BTW, it is based on my fanfiction works, minus the Meyerisms.**


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